Mouth film-holder for roentgen-ray skiagraphs.



A. H. KETGHAM.

MOUTH FILM HOLDER FOB ROENTGEN RAY SKIAGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED 111213120, 10111 1,012,561. Patented D6019, 1911.

6 Home T OFFICE.

ALBERT H. KETCHAM, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

MOUTH FILM-HOLDER FOB ROENTGEN-RAY SKIAGRAPHS.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patent-ed Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed March 20, 1910. Serial No. 563,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ammn'r H. Ku'rci-mm. a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado,- hnve invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mouth Film-Holders for Roentgen-Ray Skiugruphs; and I do declare the following to be :1 full, clear, and exact. description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it uppertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked. thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mouth film-holders for by the use of the Roentgen or X-rays. The

particular use which I have in mind for;

this film-holder, is the production of skin.- graphs of tooth-roots in the practice of orthodontic or the straightening of irregular teeth. these film-holders have been of such construction that they must be held by the fi get-s in the mouth of the patient during the use of i'ze said rays. This practice on the part of the orthodontist, subjects the fingers to the repeated action or intluenceof these peculiar rays and has proved very serious in some instances, causing a sort of cancerous condition of the flesh.

The object of my improvement is to overcome this difficulty and to produce a filmholder which may be easily and accurately retained in the mouth of the patient without the interposition of the operator; and to this end I equip the film-holder with an extension containing a piece of rubber or other suitable material adapted to be easily held between the teeth of the patient. This rubber or other suitable material is exposed at the top and bottom of the film-holder extension, whereby one or more of the upper and lower teeth may be employed for retaining it in place. The film-holder proper is adjustably connected with the block of rubher or other material, whereby when the latter is held between the teeth in the front part of the mouth, the portion of the holder carrying the film may occupy a position in the rear portion of the mouth when it is do:

taking skiagraphs' Heretotore, so far as 'I am aware,

sired to skiagraph the roots of the rear teeth.

Having briefly outlined my im roved construction, I will proceed to descri e the some in detail reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. V

In this drawing: Figure 1 is a sectional I view of the front part of the upper and lower jaws, showing my improved device in place. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same shown in detail. Fig. 3 is a. top plan view or a view looking in the direction of the arrow 3, in Fi 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but ac opted for use in a difierent position. Fig. 5 is an elevationnf the structure shown in Fig. 2 but viewed from the reverse side. Fig. 6 is a siniihir view of the construction shown in Fig. 4, viewed from the reverse side. Fi 7 is a. detail view of the soft metal part the film-holder, showing a slightly modified form of construction.

The same reference characters indicate the some parts in all the views.

Let the numeral desi nate a. soft metal plate forming a support or the film which is inclosed in a. soft rubber covering 6 and may be attached to the plate 5 by means of small rubber bands 7 or in any other suitable manner. In the construction shown in Fig.1 the soft metal plate 5, is provided with flanges or upturned edges 8 and 9, which may be pressed tightly upon the rub- 1 her covering inclosing the film, whereby the latter may be held in place without the use of the rubber bands or other retaining devices. The plate 5 is provided with an arm 10 projecting from one corner thereof and having a. slot 12 ada ted to receive a. retaining screw 18 which is passed through a rubber block 14 and a metal covering 15 which is wrapped around the block and slotted as shown at 16 to receive the fastening screw. B slotting both the arm 10, together with 6 rubber block and its metal covering, a greater degree of adjustment is permitted. The metal covering for the rubor block is of less width than the' vertical depth of the block, whereby the latter is exposed at the top and bottom as shown at 17, allowing it to' be engaged by the teeth I 18 (see Fig. 1), without causing the patient *is practically the same for all partsof the E comprising a member upon winch the film is to bite upon metal; 'As shown in the drawsembled relation.

While the constrziction of the film-holder mouth, it should be made in two styles, which may perhaps best be termed rights and lefts, and they are illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6. The arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 best illustrates the use of the device. For instance Fig. 5 is the style adapted for use in the upper left and lower right side of the mouth; while Fig. 6 shows the style employed in the lower left and upper right side of the mouth.

It is evident that by loosening the nut 19 on the fastening screw, the film-holding member 5 may be ad'usted to bring it nearer the rubber block or arther away from it. as may be desired, depending upon the location of the tooth or teeth whose roots must be skiagraphed.

As the metal member 5, as well. as the slutted arm 10, is pliable, it may be shaped to fit any part of the mouth of the patient.

It must be understood that my improved derice is not limited to the specific construc tion illustrated in the drawing, since it is evi dent that many modifi itions may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Then the device is in use, the film-holding member 5 is p aced inside the mouth and in range with the tooth-roots to be sltiagraphed.

and it is held in place by the patient who holds the rubber block between his upper and lower teeth. The operator then directs the Roentgen or X-rays 20 toward the face of the patient on the outside and so that these rays shall be in line with the film carried by the holder inside the mouth, and it is in this manner that skiagraphs of t toothroots are obtained, thereby informing the operator as to the exact condition of these roots, which is necessary in order that he may proceed intelligently with the straightening operation.

While 1 have referred to the invention as particularly adapted for use by orthodontists, it is eai lefitthat it ma be advantageously employed in other orms of den tistry, since it is often necessary in filling teeth to have skiagraphs made of the toothroots, in order to disclose conditions that are not otherwise visible.

While I have spoken of making the filmholder" rights and lefts for use in con fltLlli/[l with either, upper or lower teeth on either side of thcj aw, it is evident that the thrice may be used to e ual advantage in skingrnphiug the roots 0 the front teeth, since the device may be held in any posiv i l tion in the month by the teeth more or less mg, a wingmut. 19 is applied to the screw for retaining the connected parts in the asl remote from the portion of the month where the sltmgruph is to bc tulvcn.

llavmg thus described my invention, what I chum 1s:

l. film holder of the cla s described,

mounted, and an extension adapted to be held between the teeth of the patient when i the film-holder is in the proper position for sltiagruphing the tooth-roots.

2. A film-holder of the class described. cmuprising a body member to which the film is applied, and an auxiliary ortion ro' jccting therefrom and adapter to be old between the teeth of the patient.

3. A film-holder of the class described, comprising a soft metal plate to which the film may be applied. the said plate having an arm projecting therefrom. and a block attached to the arm and which may be. held between the teeth of the patient when the film-holder is in position for skiagraphing the tooth-roots. substantially as described.

4. A film-holder of the class described, comprising a body member upon which the film is mounted. the said body member having a slotted arm projecting from one corner thereof. a holding-block applied to said arm, and a fastening screw passed through the slot of the arm and also through the block, whereby the film-holder proper is adjustably connected with the block, for the purpose set forth.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a soft metal film-holder. having an arm projecting from one corner thcrcof, a block applied to said arm. and a. fastening device for connecting the block with the arm, for the purpose set forth.-

6. A device of the class described. comprising a soft metal bodv member adapted to hold a sltiagraph film. the said bodyholder having an arm projecting therefrom, and a block adjustablv connected with the arm and adapted to behold between the teeth of the patient during the operation of taking dental slriagraphs, substantially as described.

7. A film holder of the class described, comprising a body member upon which the film is mounted. the said bodv member having a slotted arm projecting from one corner thcrcof. a rubbcr'holding block applied to l.c said arm and adapted to be gripped between the teeth. and a fastening screw passed through the slot of the arm and. also through the block, whereby the film holder proper is adjustable with the block. for the purpose set forth. substantially as described.

8. A device of the class described. comprising a soft metal bodv member adapted to hold a skiagraph film. the said body mem ber having-an arm projecting therefrom, and

In testimon whereof I eflix my signature two witnesses.

a reletively soft block eonnected with the ALBERT H. KETCHAM.

arm and adapted to be held between the in presence 0 teeth of the patient during the operation of taking the skiagraphs, the arm of the body otted, and a. screw pressed Witnesses:

VIRGINIA I. DAVIS,

5' member being sl through the lock and theslot of the arm,

ELIZABETH Bowen.

substantially as described. 

